CHAPTER 2 Characteristics of LEDs
Most semiconductors are made by doping silicon with a material that creates free negative charge (N-type), or free positive charge (P-type). The fixed atoms have positive and negative charge, respectively. At the junction of these two materials, the free charges combine and this creates a narrow region devoid of free charge. This ‘intrinsic region’ now has the positive and negative charge of the fixed atoms, which opposes any further free charge combination. In effect, there is an energy barrier created; we have a diode junction.
In order for a P-N junction to conduct, we must make the P-type material more positive than the N-type. This forces more positive charge into the P-type material and more negative charge ...
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